Scaredy-Cats

The world can be a pretty scary place for shelter cats. And for those who have more shy or fearful personalities, each day brings fresh horrors. There are new people in and out all the time and you never know which hand is going to decide to grab you. There are all kinds of noises you can't identify and the smells are constantly changing so you never have the chance to get comfortable with anything.

It's much safer to hide all of the time, or to hiss and swat to keep people at a distance. But those behaviors don't really make for a very adoptable kitty.

This is where GPSPCA's KIT Kat program comes in. KIT Kats - or Kitties In Training - are these very shy and fearful animals who need special handling before they are ready for the adoption floor. KIT Kat volunteers have gone through extra training to learn how to best help socialize these cats. I personally don't have the patience for it, but I greatly admire those who work with our under-socialized felines. The results of this program are amazing.

Open Hearts, Open Homes

"No Kill" is actually "Low Kill"

No-kill shelters are not forbidden from euthanizing animals. In order to qualify for the "no-kill" name, a shelter must have a 90% or higher live release rate. So 9 out of every 10 animals admitted by the shelter must be adopted or transferred out.

These shelters do euthanize animals for severe health or behavior problems that cannot be corrected. They do not euthanize animals to create space. This means no-kill shelters need to manage their numbers via intake. Some will only take adoptable animals while others stretch their facilities to accommodate older or "less desirable" pets. But even the most flexible shelter may have to turn animals away when they get too full.

Experienced critters need not apply

One way to keep numbers down and adoptions up is to keep the average age of your animals low. Kittens and puppies practically fly out the door. Adult animals stay around much longer. And seniors, well...

It's an unfortunate fact that people don't always outlive their pets. Many do plan ahead and put care provisions in their wills, but sometimes things just happen. It turns out the niece is allergic to cats, or the grandson now has young children and doesn't feel that he can take the dog. For one reason or another, pets often end up in the shelter after their owners pass away. And these animals are often seniors themselves.

When people come into the shelter to find their new fur buddy, they imagine a pet they will have for many years. So it's difficult to find someone who will consider a senior pet, one who may have just a couple of years left to them. Losing a four-legged family member breaks your heart, and few want to sign up for that after such a short time.

Foster friends

This is where the amazing foster families come in. There are many reasons an animal might need to go into foster, beginning with the simple fact that each fostered animal opens up space at the shelter. Fostering is also helpful when an animal needs extra socialization, is experiencing shelter stress, or is awaiting/recovering from medical treatment.

One type of fostering that often gets overlooked, however, is hospice fostering. Animals that are admitted to a no-kill shelter but end up being terminally ill can become eligible for a hospice fostering program. These animals are often in their golden years. Some have been companions to humans their entire lives. Hospice fostering allows these dogs and cats to once again be pets. They get to experience the safety and love that comes with having a home as they live their last few weeks or months. When they do pass on, they are cradled in affection, held by a person they have come to trust.

All three of the animals pictured above were part of GPSPCA's hospice foster program. You may recognize Dr. Mew from a previous CotM post; worry not, he's currently doing quite well in his foster home.

Hospice fostering is not for everyone, of course. It's an emotional roller coaster that requires an enormous amount of patience as you submit to a schedule of feeding, medication, and vet appointments that can get rather intense. But the difference you can make in the life of an animal is enormous.

If you're the hardy sort, someone who likes a challenge, contact your local shelter and ask about hospice fostering. Or if that's not something you think you could do, maybe take in a litter of bottle babies. There are even short-term foster opportunities (sometimes as short as overnight) for those who have more variable schedules that keep them from longer commitments.

Fostering saves lives. 

Happy Day!

Ethel & Gillian went home today! Hooray!

As a plus, today is their sponsor's birthday. What a birthday gift, yeah?

Ethel had her motor going on New Year's Day while we were at the shelter. Perhaps she knew her new home was coming soon.

January Shelter Cat of the Month

We're going to start the year off with a musical act! Well, okay, not exactly, but these sisters always put me in mind of the Haynes sisters from White Christmas. You can generally tell when I've been visiting them because I walk around singing a certain song under my breath. So of course I had to use it in their video.